Jig apparatus for a bending press

ABSTRACT

For use with a bending press, a jig apparatus of relatively simple design for setting a lower die in complete alignment with an upper head. The apparatus includes a die holding member having recessed grooves of the shape of the letter Omega ( omega) turned up side down, and semi-cylindrical members suitably shaped to fit into the recessed grooves. The semi-cylindrical member is urged to the inner surface of the recessed groove by a bolt threaded into the bottom of the lower die, but with the pressure limited by the collar inserted between the bolt head and the lower die. With this limited pressure, the lower die is preliminarily set, yet it is still movable, for example, by a hammering action. After further fine adjustment, the lower die is solidly fixed to the holding member, for which purpose, a means is provided to forcibly deform the semi-cylindrical member within the confinement of the recessed groove, preventing further movement of the semi-cylindrical member and of the lower die relative to the die holding member.

United States Patent Hamada [s41 JIG APPARATUS FOR A BENDING PRESS [72] Inventor: Teruma Hamada, Tokyo, Japan [73] Assignee: Amada Company Limited, lseharashi, Kanagawa-ken, Japan [22] Filed: Feb. 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 113,346

30 Foreign Application Priority Data April 28, 1970 Japan ..4s/3sss1 521 US. Cl ..72/481, 8550 R, 287/189.36 F

[51] Int. Cl. ..B2ld 37/04, Fl6b 43/00 [58] Field of Search ..72/48l; 85/50 R; 287/l89.36 F

56 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 167,118 8/1875 Pritchett ..287/20.92 F 3,205,927 9/1965 Phelar ..85/50 R Primary Examiner-Charles W. Lanham Assistant Examiner-R. M. Rogers Attomey-Woodhams, Blanchard & Flynn [4 1 Oct. 10,1972

[57] ABSTRACT For use with a bending press, a jig apparatus of relatively simple design for setting a lower die in complete alignment with an upper head. The apparatus includes a die holding member having recessed grooves of the shape of the letter 0 omega) turned up side down, and semi-cylindrical members suitably shaped to fit into the recessed grooves. The semi-cylindrical member is urged to the inner surface of the recessed groove by a bolt threaded into the bottom of the lower die, but with the pressure limited by the collar inserted between the bolt head and the lower die. With this limited pressure, the lower die is preliminarily set, yet it is still movable, for example, by a hammering action. After further fine adjustment, the lower die is solidly fixed to the holding member, for which purpose, a means is provided to forcibly deform the semicylindrical member within the confinement of the recessed groove, preventing further movement of the semi-cylindrical member and of the lower die relative to the die holding member.

PAIENTEUncI 10 I972 SHEEI 1 OF 2 6. FIG.1

PATENTED W 3.696.658

SHEEI 2 (1F 2 FIG.2

FIG.3

MG APPARATUS FOR A BENDING PRESS DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to a jig apparatus for use with a bending press and more particularly to an improved means for setting a lower die onto a stationary table of a bending press.

In a bending press, the lower die must be precisely positioned relative to the upper head. Prior known devices, such as those employing set-screws or a jig assembly of complex design for setting a lower die onto a stationary table, have generally been unsatisfactory because of the complication of their position adjustment which naturally adversely affect the work time efficiency.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved means for setting a lower die on a stationary table in complete alignment with an upper head, avoiding the above mentioned complicated adjusting operation.

The object and other features of the present invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds for a preferred embodiment of the invention, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, wherein;

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of the embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view, taken along the line lI-IlofFlG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a plan view taken along the line III III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a die holding member, which is a main component of the jig embodying the invention.

Referring initially to FIG: 1, there are shown an upper head 1 and a lower die 3 at their inoperative positions. Thedie holding member 2 of L-shaped cross section, consisting of a vertical wall 9 and a horizontal bottom flange 5, is fixed on a stationary table 7 by any conventional means, for example, by two side plates 6 and a bolt 11. The vertical wall 9 is provided with circular holes 13 of a diameter approximately equal to 3.5/ of the height of the wall9. The holes 13 are disposed symmetrically bilaterally, with their centers at a level of approximately three-fifths height of the wall 9.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, the wall portions are cut away as at 12 at the top of the holes 13 by the length approximately equal to the radius of the hole 13, thus forming recessed grooves of the form of the letter O (omega) turned upside down.

A semi-cylindrical member 15 is inserted into each of the holes 13 with its curved surface facing to the cutaway 12, and is urged upward to the inside surface of the hole 13 by means of a bolt 18 which, standing through a vertical hole 17 provided in the middle of the semi-cylindrical member 15 perpendicularly to the flat surface 25 of the semi-cylindrical member 15, is screwed into a threaded hole provided at the bottom of the lower die 3. The curved-surface of the semi-cylindrical member 15 is so designed that it fits closely to the inner surface of the hole 13. Acollar member 16 is provided between the head'of the bolt 18 and thelower die 3. By adjusting the length of the collar 16, the pressure between the inner surface of the hole 13 and the outer cylindrical surface of the semi-cylindrical member 15 can be so adjusted that the position of the lower die 3 is preliminarily fixed, yet can be moved by hammering the side of the lower die 3.

As can be seen in FIG. 3, the semi-cylindrical member 15 is further provided with a longitudinal slit 19 on one side of the hole 17 along its center line. A threaded hole 20 is provided only on one side of the slit 19 in the semi-cylindrical member 15, parallel to the axis of the semi-cylindrical member 15 but spaced from the hole 17, to accommodate an adjustableset screw 21.

By screwing-in the screw 21 forcibly, the opening of the slit 19 can be widened, causing the deformation of the outer configurationof the semi-cylindrical member 15, within the confinement of the hole 13.

The operational sequence of the apparatus shall now be described. The lower die 3 is placed on the holding member 2 by eye-measurement roughly at a right position relative to the upper head 1. The bolt 18 is then screwed into the lower die 3, and the semi-cylindrical member 15 is urged against the inner surface of the hole 13, yet with a limited pressure which, being adjusted by the collar 16, permits a movement of the die 3 relative to the holding member 2 by hammering on the side of the die 3, whereby the preliminary setting of the die 3 is accomplished. At this stage, there may still be a misalignment of e(see FIG. 1) between the upper head 1 and the lower die 3. The screw 21 is still under unscrewed condition, andthe slit 19 has a natural width.

By hammering, the lower die 3 can be moved along the arrow line A in FIG. 1, to the complete alignment with the upper head 1.

After the lower die 3 has been finely adjusted to the complete alignment with the upper head 1, the screw 21 is forcibly threaded-in, causing the expansion of the outer configuration of the semi-cylindrical member 15 within the confinement of the hole 13. The expansion prevents the further movement of the semi-cylindrical member 15 and accordingly the die 3, relative to the holding member 2, accordingly to the stationary table 7. It will be understood that the lower die 3 is now solidly fixed to the stationary table 7 in complete alignment with the upper head 1, by means of the jig of relatively simple design.

The present invention further provides another advantage. The holes 13 with the cut-away openings 12 are disposed bilaterally symmetrically, to accommodate the lower die 3 turned round by thus permittingthe use of the second forming groove 0" provided on the lower die 3. When this is desired, the screw 21 and the bolt 18 are loosened and the lower die 3 together with the semi-cylindrical member 15 is hammeted out of the holes 13. The lower die 3 is then turned round by 180 and the semi-cylindrical members 15 are again inserted into the holes 13, bringing the second forming groove c into the position. As has been already described, the lower die 3 is again preliminarily fastened to the holding member 2 by screwing the bolt 18. The groove c" is then adjusted to the complete alignment with the head 1, and the die 3 is then solidly fixed to the holding member by forcibly screwing-in the screw 21. Thus the press is again ready for operation.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the embodiment of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of disclosure which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claimappendedhereto.

I claim:

1. For use with a bending press, a jig apparatus for setting a lower die on a stationary table of said press in complete alignment with an upper head; comprising in combination, a lower-die-holding member fixed to said stationary table, said holding member having a plurality of circular holes disposed bilaterally symmetrically, the upper portions of said holding member being cut-away so as to have said holes opened to the upper edge of said holding member; semi-cylindrical members suitably shaped to fit into said circular holes with their curved surfaces facing to said cut-away openings, an annular hole being provided substantially at the center of each of said semi-cylindrical members and perpendicularly to the flat surface of said semi-cylindrical member, each of said semi-cylindrical members being further provided with a longitudinal slit substantially along its center line on one side of said annular hole, a threaded hole being provided parallelly to the axis of said semi-cylindrical member, spaced from said annular hole, on one side of said slit; a bolt extending through said annular hole of said semi-cylindrical member and said cut-away opening of said holding member, and screwed into a threaded hole provided at the bottom as said lower die for fastening together said lower die, said semi-cylindrical member and said holding member; a collar member positioned between said bolt head and said lower die for adjusting the fastening pressure at the contact surface between said holding member and said semi-cylindrical member; a set screw suitable for being threaded through said threaded hole, in said semi-cylindrical member, on one side of said slit, said set screw, when forcibly threaded-in, causing said semi-cylindrical member to be deformed within the confinement of said circular hole in said holding member.

* i II! i 

1. For use with a bending press, a jig apparatus for setting a lower die on a stationary table of said press in complete alignment with an upper head; comprising in combination, a lowerdie-holding member fixed to said stationary table, said holding member having a plurality of circular holes disposed bilaterally symmetrically, the upper portions of said holding member being cut-away so as to have said holes opened to the upper edge of said holding member; semi-cylindrical members suitably shaped to fit into said circular holes with their curved surfaces facing to said cut-away openings, an annular hole being provided substantially at the center of each of said semi-cylindrical members and perpendicularly to the flat surface of said semicylindrical member, each of said semi-cylindrical members being further provided with a longitudinal slit substantially along its center line on one side of said annular hole, a threaded hole being provided parallelly to the axis of said semi-cylindrical member, spaced from said annular hole, on one side of said slit; a bolt extending through said annular hole of said semicylindrical member and said cut-away opening of said holding member, and screwed into a threaded hole provided at the bottom os said lower die for fastening together said lower die, said semi-cylindrical member and said holding member; a collar member positioned between said bolt head and said lower die for adjusting the fastening pressure at the contact surface between said holding member and said semi-cylindrical member; a set screw suitable for being threaded through said threaded hole, in said semi-cylindrical member, on one side of said slit, said set screw, when forcibly threaded-in, causing said semi-cylindrical member to be deformed within the confinement of said circular hole in said holding member. 